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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TIKE, n.² Also tyk(e), tyck-, teik-. Sc. forms of Eng. tick, a mattress case, the linen cloth from which these are made. Deriv. tikeing, teikin, tycking, tykan, -en, -in(g), taikin (Cai. 1905 E.D.D.), in the same senses. Sc. usages. [′təik(ɪn)]

1. (1) As in Eng., a mattress-case (Ags. 1721 Court Bk. Regality of Kirriemuir MS. (21 Jan.); Sc. 1784 Session Papers, Petition S. M'Kell (13 July) Proof 4; Edb. 1801 J. Thomson Poems 8, tyke; Ayr. 1821 Galt Annals xix., tikeing; Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 28, teikin; Lnk. 1827 J. Watt Poems 60; Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxvii., tyken; e.Lth. 1885 S. Mucklebackit Rural Rhymes 12); Edb. 2000s;  the mattress itself (Rxb. 1825 Jam., tyken o the bed, 1923 Watson W.-B., tykin; Edb. 1972), also in comb. tyke-o-bed, tikabed, tickybed (Lnk., Dmf., Rxb. 1972).Slk. 1817 Hogg Tales (1874) 154:
A new tikabed every year.Rnf. 1826 S.H.S. Miscellany VIII. 157:
Four ticky Beds and a tweel.Sc. 1829 G. Robertson Recollections 94:
There was a tyke-o-bed of the strongest fabric, well-stuffed with clean oat-chaff.Sc. 1887 Jam.:
That's the tyke(n) o' the bed: a guid feather tyke(n).Edb. 1993:
I'll need tae turn the tike.

(2) fig. a fat squat person, esp. of a woman (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., tyke, tykin; Ags. 1972).

2. As in Eng., a strong, usu. blue-striped, linen cloth, esp. as used for bed-ticks (Sc. 1705 J. Spreull Accompt Current (1882) 27, 1720 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 98, 1723 W. Macfarlane Geog. Coll. (S.H.S.) I. 291, ty(c)king; Abd. 1748 Abd. Journal (5–12 April), tykan; Fif. 1778 D. Loch Tour 21, tyke; Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 199, tyken; Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 46; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 271, tykin; Abd. 1923 J. R. Imray Village Roupie 6, tykin). Freq. attrib.Abd. 1758 Abd. Journal (21 Feb.):
Linen Mancoes, white Tyk for stays.Per. 1879 P. R. Drummond Bygone Days 190:
Tyking or Osenbrugs — what ye mak' pillows and bowsters o'.